The developer of a large and controversial residential subdivision in southeastern Lee County abandoned a plan this week to build a road through the middle of Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
Deep in the wetlands east of Naples, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has hosted passionate visitors for decades.
The sanctuary's boardwalk stretches more than two miles through one of the most biologically rich spots in Southwest Florida, putting visitors at eye level with rare orchids, a plethora of birds, bromeliads, and wildlife such as Florida panthers and alligators. The massive cypress trees lining the boardwalk are thought to be 600 years old. The largest known ghost orchid in the world grows here.
But Corkscrew has already been threatened by development so the prospect of another road, much less one through the center of the sanctuary, made its supporters livid after the road was first reported by The News-Press.
A yearslong effort is underway to eradicate the thirsty Carolina willow, an aggressive tree that, left unchecked, could suck the water from the swamp and convert it to dry forest. That battle pales in comparison to the larger threats to the swamp’s water supply: flood control choices made decades ago for the Golden Gate Estates to its south, and Cameratta’s decision to build to Corkscrew’s northeast, which is where the water flow that fills the swamp originates.
Cameratta Companies had been considering two routes for a road it called a hurricane evacuation route for the thousands of eventual residents of Kingston
Cameratta Companies had been considering two routes for the road it called a hurricane evacuation route for the thousands of eventual residents of Kingston, where Lennar started building last year.
The proposed road — which could have crossed about 60 acres of the sanctuary — drew widespread criticism.
The sanctuary is also a working conservation campus, offering research programs, school group visits, adult classes, and summer camps for kids.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
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